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WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven football team scored 31 answered points to secure its second-straight victory and remain undefeated in the Northeast-10 Conference with a 31-12 victory over the American International Yellow Jackets on Family and Football Alumni Day at DellaCamera Stadium.

Junior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) took every snap under center in his first collegiate start, finishing with 236 yards and a touchdown in the air as well as a pair of rushing touchdowns and 54 total yards on the run. Patterson would put the first Chargers points on the board early in the second quarter when he closed out a 12 play, 75 yard drive with a one-yard quarterback keep, giving New Haven a 7-5 lead, one they would never relinquish.

Patterson's primary targets in the air came by way of Rishawn Harris (Springfield, Mass./Putnam Vocational Technical Academy), DeeJay White (Brooklyn, N.Y./Sheepshead Bay / Bowling Green State University) and Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) who all pulled in four catches with Harris taking the trophy for the longest reception of the day, a 39-yard pass in tough coverage. Junior Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) was a target for Patterson on just one occasion but he made it count, collecting his first touchdown of the season on a 13-yard catch on the Chargers opening drive of the second half, giving the home team a 17-5 advantage.

Anderson also found the end zone with his third touchdown of the season on an 11-yard run which was set up thanks to a pick from senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) that he turned into a 22-yard return. That scoring drive for the Chargers took just 11 seconds. In addition to the interception, Condit finished the game with 13 tackles, including four solo stops, to lead the Chargers defensive, his third game of the season with double figure tackles.

The final score of the day for New Haven came as the second quarterback keep for Patterson as he completed an 80-yard drive with a three-yard run that resulted in a 31-5 lead in favor of the Blue and Gold. As a team, the Chargers finished the game with 440 yards of total offense, the third game of the season with 400-plus total yards. Defensively, American International was held to just 283 yards, including a minimal 102 yards on the run.

FIRST QUARTER NOTES

·           The Chargers were held scoreless in the first quarter, but closed out the first 15 minutes with the beginning half of their first scoring possession, gaining 44 yards of what was eventually a 75-yard scoring.

·           Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) led the Chargers offense in the opening quarter with a pair of carries for a total of 27 yards.

·           Junior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) finished with four completions in six attempts and also rushed for 10 yards in the first quarter of his first collegiate start.

·           Graduate transfer Dean Tsopanides (Orange, Conn./Torrington / Iowa) led the Chargers defense through the first 15 minutes with five total tackles, including three solo stops. One of his five total tackles went nine for loss yards.

SECOND QUARTER NOTES

·           Quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) capped off a drive that started in the final two minutes of the first quarter with his first collegiate rushing touchdown, a one-yard keeper. He would close out the second quarter with a team-best 23 rushing yards on four attempts without a rush for loss.

·           Patterson also completed 7-of-9 passes for 76 yards in the air, with the longest pass of the quarter a 27-yard completion to junior running back Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse).

·           That 27-yard pass began the last drive of the first half, eventually leading to a 19-yard field goal for sophomore Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge), his fourth make of the season in as many attempts.

·           Defensively, New Haven was led by Jalani Roman (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame) who finished with four total tackles, while Tarik Pusey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln / Rhode Island) and Nigel Davis (Williamsville, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate Institute) each joined him with three apiece.

THIRD QUARTER NOTES

·           The Chargers would score three times in the third quarter, closing out the stanza with a 21-5 lead. The first of those scores came in the air as Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) connected with Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) on a 13-yard completion for six points.

·           Junior running back Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) then made it two games in a row with at least one rushing touchdown as he capped off an interception and 22-yard return for senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) by rushing 11 yards on the opening play for the score.

·           The final seven points of the quarter came thanks to a three-yard quarterback keep for Patterson, his second rushing touchdown of the game. That final score capped off an 80-yard drive for the Chargers.

·           On the ground, three Chargers closed out the third quarter with at least 20 yards, led by Patterson who finished with 29. Anderson and sophomore Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) each finished with 20 yards on three and four carries, respectively.

·           The big play in the air in the third was a 27-yard catch by Devin Martin (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) along the sidelines to keep what turned out to be a scoring drive for New Haven alive.

·           Defensively, Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) led the Chargers with five total tackles to go along with his 22-yard interception. C.J. Fitzpatrick (Pearl River, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional) finished just behind him with four stops.

FOURTH QUARTER NOTES

·           Sophomore running back Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack), the reigning America East Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year, led New Haven's rushing efforts in the fourth quarter, netting 27 yards on seven carries, with his longest a 16-yard dash.

·           Patterson would close out the game with a pair of completions in three fourth quarter attempts for 57 yards total.

·           The longest play in the air came as the longest of the day, a 39-yard leaping catch by Rishawn Harris (Springfield, Mass./Putnam Vocational Technical Academy) with his defender in his hands the whole time in the air. Harris was Patterson's only target in the fourth quarter as he collected 57 total yards.

·           Dan McCourt (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke / Dean College) and Stefano Bicknese (Somers, N.Y./Somers / USMAPS) led New Haven's defensive in the final quarter as the pair each finished with three tackles.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·           The Chargers have picked off three opponents passes in 2015, with all three interceptions coming on the blue turf of DellaCamera Stadium. Today's 22-yard pick by senior Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) was the second longest of the season behind Nigel Davis (Williamsville, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate Institute) who picked up 33 yards on an interception in the season opener against Slippery Rock.

·           In his first collegiate start, junior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) finished with a 76-percent completion percentage while passing for one and rushing for three touchdowns, the most by any single player in 2015.

·           Junior running back Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) has rushed for at least one touchdown in each of the last two games. He has also shown off his legs in all three games with today's efforts showing in a 28-yard run and a 44-yard completion.

·           Senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) has finished with double figure tackles in all three games in 2015, closing out the second home game of the season with 13. In addition to his 13 tackles against American International, he also had his first interception of the season which led to a one-play 11-yard rushing touchdown after he picked up 22 yards on the pickoff.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·           JR QB Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) shined in his first collegiate start with 290 total yards and three touchdowns, a pair of rushing scores and one touchdown pass.

·           SR linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) finished with 13 tackles and a 22-yard interception, his third-straight game with double figure tackles.

·           JR running back Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) has scored at least one rushing touchdown in each of the last two games, today an 11-yard run for six points.

·           Sophomore kicker Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) was 1-of-2 on field goal attempts with the make extending his streak to four-straight makes at the time.

UP NEXT
The Chargers travel crosstown for the battle of the Elm City Trophy, taking on the Southern Connecticut State Owls on Friday, September 25 under the lights at Jess Dow Field. The rivalry battle is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Action returns to DellaCamera Stadium on Saturday, October 3, with a visit from Merrimack. That game will also serve as Military Appreciation Day at DellaCamera. Complete coverage of Charger football can be found at www.NewHavenChargers.com.